Revisiting Charlottesville From 2017 to 2023
The journey leading to the creation of The Generals Redoubt began with what the media tagged as the “Unite the Right” rally that occurred August 11-12, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Various right of center groups gathered to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from a public park. This incident, resulting in a tragic death and numerous injuries, became for W&L president Will Dudley a flash point to take action. A Commission on Institutional History and Community was appointed, offering 31 disparate solutions to a Charlottesville like problem; one arguably having existed only President Dudley’s imagination and the minds of those appointed to study and report on this task.
In October 2018 the Administration and Trustees began implementation of some of the Commission recommendations. Renaming campus buildings and the required screening of Valentine’s Recumbent Lee during University events were announced. An Alumni Planning Committee of 24 was formed promptly to consider creating a group to preserve and protect the history, values and traditions of the University and advocate for the rebirth of its tradition for delivering a classical liberal arts education. This led to a May 2019 launch of The Generals Redoubt (TGR) as a non-stock, not-for-profit corporation under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. TGR is a non-partisan group and is not a formal member of the Washington and Lee community. However, its alumni members and many followers are a vital part of this community.
Since that start, TGR has battled issues such as a concerted effort to change the University’s name; renaming of Lee Chapel; memento scraping and chapel stage wall reconfiguring, including permanent blocking of Recumbent Lee access; cancellation of Founders Day; removal of the namesakes images from all University diplomas; and the removal and/or recasting of various historic plaques tied to Robert E. Lee’s legacy, including those of his beloved steed, Traveller. TGR’s efforts to reaffirm and celebrate the contributions of George Washington and Robert E. Lee to the University, to Higher Education in general, and to seek national reconciliation continue to this day and beyond. Look for a scorecard report soon.
Fast forwarding to the fall of 2023, more news arrived from Charlottesville connected to the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally. On October 26th the Washington Post published a story of an apparently purposely clandestine destruction of Charlottesville’s Robert E. Lee statue. For the full story, please see: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/interactive/2023/civil-war-monument-melting-robert-e-lee-confederate/
Reaction was swift to this historical and permanent loss of a treasured historical artifact, as the Common Sense Society and the Virginia Council provided a guardian’s strong defense of an arguably senseless and possibly illegal act. Please see: https://thevirginiacouncil.org/breaking-historic-charlottesville-statue-secretly-melted-out-of-state/
And on October 27th, Jim Bacon, who serves as Executive Director of The Jefferson Council, a companion organization of TGR’s at the University of Virginia, provided his views on this travesty in Bacon’s Rebellion. Please see: https://www.baconsrebellion.com/wp/lee-statue-meltdown/#respond
The actions undertaken by the Charlottesville perpetrators to dismember and melt down the Robert E. Lee statue were an exercise in Orwellian black magic, one not fit for a civilized society. I learned decades ago from Washington and Lee University history professor Tom Hughes that both Lenin and Stalin were early masters of such cultural terrorism; lessons that Mao Zedong and other dictators quickly absorbed and implemented.
Today the attack on Western Civilization is seen everywhere from the Middle East to the Piedmont and Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Cancel Culture is one name for it. It is a fast spreading cultural and social cancer and difficult to treat. We welcome the support of our followers in pursuing its eradication.
Respectfully submitted,
Tom Rideout
Thomas P. Rideout
Chairman and Co-Founder
The Generals Redoubt